Metal fence-post.



No. 654,786. Patented July 3|, |900.

M. D. CUMMINGS.

METAL FENCE POST.

(Application med ont. 17,r 1899.)

(No Model.)

/NVENTOH' W/TNESSES 'MM A C?A the object of; my improvement andthe par-y ticular matters of which will be stated inthe :nular flaring flange l0, which with the radial MONTRAVILL D. CUMMINGS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

METAL FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 654,786, dated July 31 1900.

Application filed October 17, 1899.. Serial No. 733,911.v (No model.) A

To @ZZ whom L'tmcty concer/'n.-

Be it known that I, MONTRAVILL D. CUM- MINGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Fence-Posts, of which the following is a specification.

The production oi a light, neat, and strong.' sl1eet-steel fence-post-adapted for the' attachment of line-Wires or woven-Wire fencing is claims concluding this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l,

shows in horizontal section two hollow metal anged posts anda line-wire stapled to the lianges. Fig. 2 shows my improved metal flanged post in perspective with the line-wires stapled to the flanges. Fig. 3 shows, enlarged, a side view of-theilanged post with the linewire stapled to the flanges; and Fig. 4 is an edge view of the Yhanged Aside of the post, showing the alternate clenching of the staples in the iianges.. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 6 shows the blank from which two blanks for two posts are cut. Fig. 7 shows the loop-rivet staple, and Fig. 8 shows a corrugated post.

From a sheet of steel or other suitable sheet metal seven feet long by twenty-four inches wide I produce two blanks l 2 by a diagonal cut 3, so that each sheet when rolled into tubular form will make a fence post with a taper from the bottom to the top. When rolled into a tube, the :longitudinal edges are bent so as to form flanges 4c of radial projection, meeting and bound `together to form a stiffening and bracing rib to the tube. These anges are provided with small holes 5, extending from the top to the bottom thereof. I prefer to make these holes quite close together the whole length of thepost, so that the flanges may be riveted to give greater firmness to the post below the ground, and particularly at the base-fiange, the rivets being close together, as at 6 and 7, while above the ground the flanges are clenhedtogether b y staples 8, through which the line-wires 9 are run and spaced any distance in the height of the post, or within which staples Woven-wire fabric ma-y be fastened or hooked. This provision for stapling the clenc'hing-staples to. be inserted into the holes at any point which may bedesired." It

also gives the advantage of forming the fence Vwith line-wires and Witl1` wir e fabric in any proportion of both and of using the staples :close togetherto give a smooth stretched surlface to the woven wire;

At its base the post is formed with an anflanges gives it plenty of .resistance in the plete with taper side iianges and holes by a Tplunger forcing the metal up into a die into which the end of the post isset and which gives an annular flange projection of about one and a half inches, which'gr'eatly adds to the stiifness and solid seating of the post. This way of forming the base-flange 1,0 ,is preferred because it takes upon the side fianges, so that the joining of the vertical flanges and the Haring base flange gives abracing stiffness to the flaring iiange andV completes the circle. Looking at Figrl, the longitudinal and transverse flanges will be seen tobe continuous, the base and the meeting flanges forming a right angle at their junction, giving a very desirable andgtrue seating for the post, adding strength to it, and thereby allowling the use of comparativelythin metal.

When the staples are inserted in the hangeholes, their ends and eye-forming parts are bent to clasp and clench theffianges, so that the staples project beyond and in line with the flanges and may be all on one side or on alternate sides of the flanges and may be set and clenched before or after the post is set.

VThe staples are of wire, and the holes are threesixteenths of an inch in diameter and onehalf inch apart in the wirelattaching iange part, thus admitting of attaching any4 kind of wire fence and of spacing the wireswithout any special punching of holes. The staple as a fastening while having theusual U shape 'has also the shape of a'right angle, asseen in Figs. 5 and 7, so that while the ends have a riveting function the loop-forming end has IOO -iconical die, and projecting below it about two `inches `is -upset by a conical plunger, so as to form a base-flange of about nine inches in diameter.

If desired, the post maybe corrugated lengthwise to increase its rigidity, the corrugations tapering to correspond with the taper of the post.

The post mayk have an ornamental cap seated in its open end.

The preferred Way of erecting the fenceis i to stretch the line-wires `against the flange andthen pass the' staples over the wires into the flange-holes, bringing the loop end of the staple against the flange and clenching the ends. This locks the flanges tightly togetherand stilens the post, while leaving the Wires loosely lstrung in the staples and thereby avoiding anytendency to twist the post.

The complete post is galvanized with zinc and can be furnished the trade stapledready to receive the wires.

The object of making the holes, close together the entire length of the `flanges is that rivets may be put through'as many holes and at such places as desired, so that the post may be set a greater or less depth in the ground and still have the holes ready to receive the Wi re staples near the ground.

1. As an improved article of manufacture the post herein described formed of a single sheet of metal rolled with edge flanges provided with holes and terminatingin a circular base-ange projected alike from the ends lof MoNTRAvILL D. CUMMI'NGS.

Witnesses:

y BEN S. DIcKsoN,

CHAs. G. HENDERSON.

the longitudinal edge flanges'and made con- 

